


(When You Go) Don't Leave Me Behind

by romanticalgirl



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Getting Together, Post-Finale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:07:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28341387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/romanticalgirl/pseuds/romanticalgirl
Summary: When Luke offered to take her out to dinner, Penelope didn't really know what was in store. She hoped, but she didn't know. She also didn't expect that it would feel different than before when he was out on a case.Or that it would be just as scary falling in love as working for the FBI
Relationships: Luke Alvez/Penelope Garcia
Comments: 17
Kudos: 195





	(When You Go) Don't Leave Me Behind

“What do I wear?”

“Uh, hi, Penelope?” Penelope can hear the smile in JJ’s voice. “To work?”

“No. I’ve got work covered. Whole new wardrobe. Well, new accessories. I like my wardrobe. No! To dinner.”

“Dinner?”

Penelope drops her voice. “With Luke.”

“ _Alvez_?”

She starts pacing. Again. In front of her closet that is filled with clothes. Overflowing with clothes. “Shh, He might hear you. Where are you? Is he there?”

“Relax. I’m at home.”

“Good. Oh, wow. Oh, sorry! I didn’t mean to interrupt family time.”

“The boys are at a Scout meeting with Will. Now, what’s going on? And why am I just now hearing about this?”

“It’s new. Super new. Well, not new-new. But new. Newish.” She changes her trajectory and goes out into the living room and sits down, then stands up and starts pacing again. “He asked if maybe he could to take me to dinner at my going away party, and he said dinner like date-dinner? And then he called me two days ago, and actually asked me to go out to dinner.”

“Wow.”

“I know! I mean, he just broke up with Lisa not long ago. Oh, god. Am I a rebound? I don’t like sports. You know that.”

“Penelope, you and Luke have been flirting since the moment he walked into the BAU. This isn’t new. Not even new-new or new-ish.”

“It’s not?”

“Trust me.”

“I do trust you. That’s why I’m calling.” She stops walking and sighs. “It’s just been a really long time since Kevin. And, well, you know. Luke’s… Luke. He’s all – ” She waves one hand around, as if JJ can see and as if it’s any sort of explanation. “Manly. Man. He’s really attractive, and don’t ever tell him I said that.”

“He is attractive. I don’t see why that’s a problem.”

“Well.” She sits down again, slumping her shoulders forward. “You’ve seen me.”

“I have. And, again, I’m not seeing a problem.”

“I’m not – ” She waves her hand around again. “Normal. Don’t get me wrong. I know I’m brilliant and amazing. But I’m not Luke-type brilliant and amazing.”

“Apparently Luke thinks you are.”

“Yeah, but he’s also kind of an idiot.”

JJ laughs. “Do you want me to come over?”

“Ohgod,” Penelope breathes, relieved. “Please. Yes.”

“Give me a half-hour and I’ll be there.”

“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You’re the best. You’re my best friend. I love you. Never leave me.”

“Okay, I’ll make it twenty.”

**

“Oh. Wow. Is this me?” She looks in the full-length mirror at her skirt, fitted until it flares at the knee. The dark blue is accented by her chunky necklace and earrings, setting off the shimmering shirt, black with rainbow threads that seem to catch the light. It’s more of a vest than a shirt, and the short bolero jacket she slips on is the same hot pink of her shoes. “You’re a fairy godmother, JJ. Magic.”

“I didn’t do anything except help you pick out which outfit to go with. You had them all laid out on the bed.”

“Hush. You’re magic.” She turns and looks over her shoulder at the back of the outfit. “But what if it’s not a date-date? What if it’s just a ‘hey we used to work together, we should keep in touch’ date? What if he shows up in ratty jeans and a holey shirt? Or worse. What if he shows up in sweats?”

“He said ‘now that we don’t work together,’ right?”

Penelope turns back and looks at JJ. “Yeah?”

“It’s a date-date. Trust me.”

“I do. Because you’re magic, and because you’re JJ.” She turns around again and looks at herself. “Do you think he’ll like it?”

“I think he’s not going to know what to do, he’s going to be so knocked out.” JJ takes Penelope by the shoulders, leans in, and kisses her cheek. “Now, I’m going to go so that I’m not here when he shows up, because that would make it weird.”

“Thanks, JJ. You’re a lifesaver.” Penelope kisses JJ’s cheek in return, leaving a lip print of hot pink. “I owe you.”

“Just have fun tonight.” She squeezes Penelope’s hand. “And seriously, you look wow.” 

“Wow.” She grins widely. “Wow is good.”

**

By the time the doorbell rings, she’s wringing her hands and about to go into the bedroom to change. She closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, then walks over to open the door. There’s silence, so she opens one eye. Luke’s standing there, looking dumbstruck.

“What?”

His eyes travel down the length of her body, then back up, blinking as he meets her eyes. “Wow.”

She bites the corner of her lower lip, and lowers her eyes. “Wow?”

“Yeah. Wow about covers it. Though you could throw in a holy cow and a you look amazing.”

“Amazing?”

She’s still looking toward the ground when Luke cups her chin and lifts her face up. “Amazing.”

She can feel her face flush, and she smiles, wide and honest. “And you’re not wearing sweats!”

His brow furrows. “Why would I be wearing sweats?”

“No reason.” She smiles and picks up her purse. Luke holds out his arm to her. She looks at it for a minute and then takes it, letting him lead her out of the apartment. She closes and locks her door, and when they get to the front door of the apartment building, he stops. 

“So, if I open this door, the car door, and the restaurant door for you, is that going to be a problem?”

“No,” she says softly. “No. Not tonight.”

“Good.” He opens the door and lets her lead the way out, taking her arm again when he follows, leading her to his car. Penelope’s stomach is swooping by the time they get to the car, and she’s not sure she’s going to be able to eat anything. Luke helps her in, then shuts the door behind her before jogging around and sliding in on the driver’s side. He looks over at her, smiles, and shakes his head. “Wow.”

“That different?”

“No. Just. I don’t know. Maybe because we’re out of the context we’re used to. You’re always wow. I don’t know.” He reaches over and tucks a stray wisp of hair back behind her ear. Her stomach swoops again, and she wonders if this is what swooning feels like. “You’re wow for this. For me. Never thought…”

“Oh, god. Just drive.” She’s blushing hotly, her cheeks and the tips of her ears burning. Luke smiles and starts the car, finally taking his eyes off of her. She wants to fan herself, but there’s no way she’s going to give him the satisfaction.

They’re on their way to wherever he’s taking them, and Penelope keeps glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. He’s dressed in black slacks, a gray button-down, and a black jacket, and she gets what he means by the wow out of context. Because it’s not that different from things he’s worn at the BAU, but it’s… Different.

Wow.

“So, my replacement.”

“You’re irreplaceable. We just have a new computer person. Not even a guru.”

“So, I mean, is she good? Is she cute?”

Luke bites his lower lip, obviously trying to hold back a grin. This time her stomach swoops in a different way. “I mean, no Penelope Garcia, but then, who is?” He does smile then. “And _he_ is not my type in the slightest.”

She shifts in her seat, embarrassingly relieved. Not just that Luke isn’t interested, but the fact that it’s a guy somehow feels better. Like she _hasn’t_ really been replaced. Eventually it might not feel bad to not be there with all of them, with her family, but for now it’s still a fresh bruise that she keeps pushing on. “What is your type?” She doesn’t mean to sound confrontational, but she knows she does.

“Smart-ass blonds.”

“Lisa wasn’t a s… Oh.”

“Yeah,” Luke glances over at her, then reaches across the emergency brake, fingers lightly brushing the back of her hand. “Oh.”

She ducks her head, blush back in full force. She bites her lip, and is sure she’s messed up her lipstick. “Oh.” she turns her hand slightly, and Luke slips his fingers between her thumb and pointer finger. Penelope closes her hand loosely around his, and smiles the entire rest of the way to the restaurant.

**

Afterward, they walk along the water, side by side and close, but not quite touching. They talk about her new job, and avoid talking about the old one, though she laughs at stories he tells her about the rest of the team. They talk about Roxy and Lou, and Luke says that next time they’ll have to bring them along. Penelope stops and looks at him. 

Luke frowns. “What? Do I have something on my face?”

“No. No.” She swallows and points over his shoulder. “Gelato.”

“Oh, definitely gelato.” He turns and presses the palm of his hand against the small of her back, walking next to her. She gets the swoops again, only this time it doesn’t feel like her stomach. It feels like when she’d do her best _not_ to think of Luke and fail miserably. 

She orders her favorite, and he does the same. He pays and they sit down at a ridiculous little metal table that’s supposed to bring ambiance, but instead is just uncomfortable. They eat in silence until Penelope reaches her spoon across the table and takes a scoop of Luke’s gelato. He opens his mouth in shock, clearly teasing her, and returns the favor. 

Pretty soon they’re stealing each other’s gelato instead of eating their own, until Luke takes a scoop of hers and holds it up in front of Penelope’s mouth. She parts her lips in surprise and he rests the spoon lightly against the lower one. After a second that feels like forever, she opens her mouth a little wider so he can slip it inside. 

She’s hyper-conscious of him watching her, his gaze flicking from her eyes to her mouth as he carefully withdraws the spoon. She licks her lips as he pulls it free, and everything inside her is on fire. He’s completely focused on her, and she swallows hard. He pulls the spoon back, and takes it in his own mouth, sucking on it for a moment before he releases it.

“O-oh.” She’s breathless and lightheaded, and she’s never felt this way – not with Kevin, not with Derek, not with anyone. “Th – ” 

Whatever she’s about to say, and she’s not even sure what might come out of her mouth, is interrupted as a group of teenagers come into the store. Luke lets out a slow breath through his nose, and Penelope looks down, focusing on her gelato again.

They finish at the same time, not quite making eye contact again. On the way back to his car, Luke slips his hand into Penelope’s, lacing their fingers together. She closes her eyes at the feeling and nearly stumbles, but she catches herself at the last second. After that, he tightens his grip slightly.

The drive home is quiet, though Luke doesn’t let go of her hand unless he has to. The silence feels heavy, laden with promise. Luke parks alongside her building and gets out, helping her out of the car. He walks her inside, all the way to her front door. He leans against the door jamb as she unlocks all of her locks, and she can feel his eyes on her. 

Luke reaches out and brushes her forearm. “I had a great time tonight.”

“Me, too. I mean. You were way less annoying than I thought you’d be.”

Luke smiles and shakes his head. “Do you actually have tennis shoes?”

“Yes.”

“Without a heel?”

She jabs him in the side with her finger. “Yes.”

He catches her hand. “So if I asked you if you wanted to go for a hike with me, Roxy, and Lou next weekend, you wouldn’t have to go shoe shopping?”

“A lady never _has_ to go shoe shopping. It’s an honor and a privilege.” She sniffs haughtily, trying not to smile.

“Okay, let’s try again. Do you want to go for a hike with me, Roxy, and Lou next weekend?”

“Like… like a date?”

He brushes her cheek with his thumb as he curves his hand around the side of her head, threading his fingers into her hair. He pulls her in until there’s just a breath of air between them. “Yeah, Penelope.” He brushes her lips with his. “Like a date.”

“Oh. Uh. I – ” She pulls away, her heart pounding and panic flooding through her. “I’ll check my calendar.” She darts into her apartment and slams the door, turning the locks with shaking fingers.

“Um. Goodnight?” Luke says, or asks, through the door. Penelope can’t manage to say anything, and she eventually hears him walk away. She sinks down on her couch and flops back against the cushions. 

“Well,” she sighs. “That went badly.”

**

“You what?”

Penelope takes a healthy drink of her margarita. “I locked him out. After freaking out. Or doing both at the same time. Oh, god. He must think I’m a lunatic.”

“He certainly doesn’t think that,” Emily assures her.

Tara agrees with a nod. “In fact, he’s been smiling the past three days. He hasn’t been able to question anyone because he looks like a love-sick puppy.”

“Oh no! I’m messing up your cases!”

“Penelope,” JJ pats her forearm lightly. “Tara’s kidding. Well, about the questioning. He has looked a little love-sick though.”

“No he hasn’t. He’s known me for years.” She grabs the pitcher and refills everyone’s margarita glasses. “I’m the same me.”

“True,” Emily picks up her refilled glass and takes a drink. “But he’s seeing you through non-coworker eyes, which are eyes that are allowed to take things in.”

“I know my shirt was a little low-cut.”

“I meant he’s able to see you in a different light. He doesn’t have to think of you as someone he has to be relatively professional around. He can be himself.”

“Relatively professional?”

“You guys did have a little bit of a pigtail pulling thing going on,” JJ says. “And I’m pretty sure since you met Derek Morgan, you haven’t been completely professional.”

Tara laughs. “I’m not sure any of us have. That’s what makes us such a good team.”

“Yeah.” Penelope smiles sadly. “You guys are a good team.”

“Hey, now. None of that.” Emily lifts her glass. “I am the director of the BAU, and therefore you are and always will be a member of our team. We have the official Penelope Garcia Remote of Information and Gory Pictures, which means you are always with us.”

“I have an honorary remote?”

“You do. We also have the fuzzy-headed pencil you left that sits in the cup in the middle of the table. So you’re always there in spirit.” She holds her glass out to the center of the table. “To Penelope Garcia, teammate forever.”

“Hear hear!” JJ clinks her glass against Emily’s. “Now, give us more details.”

“My abject humiliation isn’t enough?”

“When are you seeing him again?”

Penelope’s eyes widen as she looks at Tara. “What? Never! He’s not going to want to see me again.”

“Mm-hm. I think you might be wrong about that.” She nods toward the door of the bar, and Penelope looks over her shoulder. She immediately turns back and looks at all three of them with betrayal. 

“What are they doing here?”

“Mia cara, Penelope.” Rossi comes over first, giving Penelope a tight hug and kissing both of her cheeks. Matt and Spencer hug her as well, but Luke hangs back. 

As all of the guys gather around the table, Luke moves closer and slips in to stand between Penelope and JJ’s chairs. He nudges Penelope with his shoulder. “Hey.”

“Hi.” She stares into her margarita wondering if drinking the rest of it down would freeze her brain to the point of non-functionality. “How are you?”

“I’m good. You?”

“Good. Fine. Drinking.” She takes a drink, just to prove her point. “Why are you here? It’s girls’ night. You’re not girls. None of you.”

“We’ve decided to have a guys’ night,” Spencer says. “But we knew you were all here, and we wanted to see you, so we thought we’d stop in.”

“Oh.” She smiles at Spencer. “Oh, that’s really sweet.”

“Well.” He gives her one of his shy smiles, the one that quirk up his cheeks that she loves so much. “We miss you.”

“I miss you guys, too. So much. There’s nobody like any of you at my new job. And they’re nice. They’re super nice, and they get the whole saving the world thing, but the unsubs aren’t un. They’re businesses and plastics and oil companies. It’s just not the same.”

“I think that’s supposed to be how it is,” Emily reminds her. “That’s part of the reason you wanted the change, right?”

“Yeah. I guess. It’s just.” She blinks back tears. “I miss you all so much. And you’ve got stories now that don’t have me in them, and jokes and memories and lives, and I don’t have you anymore. I have Doug and his pet chinchilla.”

“People actually have pet chinchillas?” Matt asks as he comes back to the table and passes beers out to Luke, Dave, and himself, and gives Spencer his usual Shirley Temple. “Please never tell my children that.”

Luke puts his hand on the top of Penelope’s chair, and he strokes his thumb over her shoulder. She shivers slightly and glances at him. He smiles at her and stops his touch, but keeps his hand on her chair. She does her best not to watch him pick up his beer, watch his mouth on the bottle, but she can’t help but flush when he pulls the bottle away and licks his damp lips.

“It gets better.” She proceeds to tell them how there was a misunderstanding about keeping the slab for the chinchilla to rest on in the freezer and thinking the store put the actual chinchilla in the freezer that has them all laughing. Before long, there’s another pitcher of margaritas, and the guys are on their third round of drinks.

Luke challenges Spencer to a game of darts to pit skill against science, and after a few minutes, Penelope follows them over. She cheers for Spencer just to annoy Luke, and he points at her before he takes a drink of his beer. 

“I’m going to win this game, lady. You watch me.” He walks over to her and hands her his bottle. “Hold my beer.”

She snorts a laugh as he heads back to the shot line. Spencer’s standing next to Penelope, watching as well. 

“You know, the males of most species enjoy showing off their prowess to females. The peacock shows that it has the most beautiful feathers, lions regularly fight to be head of the pride. I’m not completely sure, but I’m fairly certain this game of darts has become a mating dance.”

“Does that mean if you win I get to go home with you?” She grins at Spencer 

He grins back. “Well, you’re welcome to, but I think you might disappoint Luke if you do. And I don’t know how exciting my place would be.”

“Hanging out with you is perfect.” She leans over and kisses Spencer’s cheek. “You can wow me with facts and blind me with science.”

“You hitting on my girl, Spence?”

“Your what?” Penelope raises an eyebrow as Luke moves up and leans back on the table beside her. “I’m absolutely sure you didn’t just call me what I think you did.”

“Absolutely not.” Luke nods and smiles at her. He doesn’t look away as he nods toward the dartboard. “You’re up, Reid.”

Penelope doesn’t look away from Luke as Spencer walks over to shoot. “I’m not your girl.”

“I know.” He reaches up and catches one of the ringlets in her hair and tugs on it. “But maybe after Saturday, huh?”

“What’s Saturday?”

“Don’t tell me you don’t want to go on our hike. Roxy and Lou are all excited to see you again.” He tugs on the curl again. He’s too close, and Penelope can feel the warmth radiating off of him, the smell of beer and cologne and sweat. “You’re not going to let them down, are you?”

The dartboard’s recorded voice makes Penelope start and pull back, unaware of how close they’d gotten. “Sounds like science won.”

“Or Spencer’s a cheater.”

“I only cheat at poker,” Spencer says. He’s about to say more when Emily walks up to them. 

“Sorry Penelope. We have to go. We’ve got a case.”

It feels like something inside her tears apart. “Okay. Well, good luck. Catch the bad guys.”

“Absolutely. And we’ll pick this up where we left off when we get back.” Emily heads toward the exit, the rest of the team falling in behind. She turns her head and realizes Luke’s still standing there. He’s got hold of Penelope’s hand and he squeezes it.

“Hey.”

“You need to go.”

“Yeah. But I’m going to try for Saturday.” He leans in and gives her a quick kiss on the cheek before pulling away and jogging to catch up with the team. Penelope walks to the door and watches them drive off before heading back to their table and gathering up her things. She pays the bill and goes outside to catch a cab home.

**

_”Hey, Penelope, it’s Luke. Going to have to cancel Saturday. We’re still in Idaho working on this case. I’m hoping I can get a rain check.”_

She listens to the message for a third time and tells herself that she’s not disappointed. She didn’t even know for sure that she was going to go, and if she did, it was only going to be to see Roxy and Lou. She calls him back, not sure what she’s going to say, but then hangs up before the call can connect. 

She sends him a text instead telling him to catch the bad guys, and calls Savannah to plan a date with Hank to go see a movie. When she takes him home, Derek convinces her to stick around and have dinner and watch a movie as a family.

When Savannah takes Hank up to get ready for bed, Derek moves over to the couch, next to her. “What’s going on, baby girl?”

“Nothing.’

“Whatever it is, it’s not nothing. Talk to me.”

“I told you I left the BAU.”

“And it’s a lot harder than you thought?”

“Yeah. How did you – I mean, I guess you had Savannah and Hank. You kind of disappeared, kept away from it all.”

“My reasons were a little different.”

“I know. I just… When I see them, it’s hard. It’s different. And it’s never going to be the same. Even staying friends, staying in touch… Our lives were life and death, and now that’s their lives.”

“You sorry about your decision?”

“No. No. I know I’m doing a good thing, the right thing. And I knew it would be hard. I just didn’t think it’d be _this_ hard.” He wraps his arm around her and hugs her tight.

“It’s okay to take a break. Let the wound close up a little. Let it scar.”

“I don’t want scars.” She reaches up, touches the remains of her bullet wound.

“Hey.” Derek reaches for her hand and pulls it away from her chest. “Hey, listen to me, okay, Penelope?” He holds her hand tight, the pressure giving her something to focus on. “Scars are good. They mean you survived what hurt you.”

“They don’t hurt me.”

“Leaving does.” He presses his face to hers and kisses her temple. “It’s okay to be sad, and it’s okay to be a little selfish. Let yourself heal, get a little distance. You left, what? Three weeks ago?”

“Almost a month. They got in the elevator and went away, and I was left there, but we all knew when they got back, I’d be gone.” She turns her head and buries it against his shoulder, closing her eyes against the sting of tears. “Why is it so hard?”

“Because you love them, baby girl. Because when Gideon left and Hotch left and I left, it was one person. Hard, but you had the rest of your family around you, spread the sadness around. Now you’re still all feeling it, but you can’t share it with them, you’re carrying yours all on your own.”

She looks up at him, lower lip sliding out into a pout. “It kinda sucks.”

“Yeah,” he laughs softly. “It kinda does.”

“So what do I do?”

“Well, you actually have time for hobbies. And dating.” He pauses and looks at her, and she knows she’s blushing. “Oh-ho-ho. Something you need to tell me?”

“No.”

“That is a bold-faced lie. C’mon. Tell.”

“It’s nothing. Just a date. I had a date.”

“And? Who is this guy? You have Emily put him through ViCAP? And Interpol? CIA? Europol? Has he been fingerprinted and vetted? You do what you do and put him through the electronic ringer?”

“Yeah. He’s good. He’s… It’s only been one date though. Probably all it’s going to be. I mean, he’ll get bored.”

“Of you? Tell me another impossible thing.” He shakes his head. “I know you have more self-confidence than this. What’s going on?”

She shrugs one shoulder. “He’s not a geek. I mean, he is, but not the kind of geek I usually deal with. And he’s smart. Not like I’m smart, but different smart.” She sighs. “And he’s so hot. Unfairly hot.”

“I’m not seeing a problem. Sounds like he might even come within an Olympic pool or five of deserving you.”

“He’s gone a lot. On business. And that hurt his last relationship. And I’m never gone. I wasn’t ever gone.”

“I don’t know what you call being holed up in your office for days on end exactly…”

“I got to sleep in my own bed.”

“When you got to sleep.”

“And I don’t have to do that anymore. I have normal hours. Monday through Friday. Eight to five. A Saturday or two here and there. A… A normal life.”

“And you want someone who has a normal life?” He shakes his head again. “Savannah’s a doctor. She’s gone all the time. There’s no such thing as a normal life. There’s just life.”

“Was what we did a normal life?”

“Normal for us.” He pulls back and looks at her for a long minute. “He an agent?”

She shrugs just a little and he raises an eyebrow. She frowns and glares at him. “Fine. Yes. Interrogator.”

He leans back and puts his hands behind his head, still regarding her, looking at her and, she thinks, looking through her. “I know him?”

She looks away. “I guess.”

She can tell the moment he figures it out, because he takes in a quick breath. “Oh, baby girl.”

“It was only one date. I’m not going to see him again. It’s weird. And like you said, I need to get away from it. Heal.” She looks down at her hands and closes her eyes, trying not to think about how good Luke’s hand felt on hers, how breathless just the hint of a kiss made her. “I can’t do that with him.”

“You like him. You’ve liked him for a long time.”

“Sometimes I’m dumb. Macho guys with muscles and mouths and wit and humor and really nice hands and who smell really good make my brain stop working. I just went a little crazy, that’s all.”

“Penelope, there hasn’t been a time in your entire life that you’ve been dumb. You couldn’t be dumb if you tried. Hey.” He takes her face in his hands and makes her look at him. “You like him.”

“A lot,” she sighs, her shoulders slumping. “A lot, a lot.”

“Then forget every damn thing I just said. Let him make you happy.” He ducks his head as she looks away, catching her eyes again. “It’s hard to let someone in, let them love you. But you deserve it. It’s the same as before. You can’t let the bad guys take it away from you. That stands whether it’s because it’s your job or his. You gotta grab life now that you have a chance to have one.”

“And when he’s gone all the time?”

“You come visit Hank and me and Savannah, and we’ll have a family night. Or maybe you find another person and you date them, too.”

She laughs. “I’m having enough trouble with not really dating one.”

“He’s lucky to have you in his life. Sounds like he knows that and has no intention of letting you get away.”

She looks away, her brow furrowing before she looks back up at him. “I’m scared.”

“I know. That’s how you know it’s important.”

**

Luke texts her when he gets back to Quantico, then calls her two days later when she doesn’t respond. She lets it go to voicemail, even though the impulse to automatically answer when one of the team is calling her is still there.

He calls again the next day and the next, though in that call he says he can take a hint when gently applied with a sledgehammer, and he’ll leave her alone. She listens to the message twice, cutting it off in the middle the third time and calling him back. She leaves a message inviting him over for dinner if he’s free, nothing fancy, just pizza and drinks. She tells him seven, and that gives her three hours to panic and one hour to get ready to look casual and yet still amazing.

There’s a knock on the door right at seven, and she opens it, smiling nervously. Luke’s standing there, a six pack of beer and a bottle of wine in his hands. “I come bearing gifts. Figured they might get me past the front door.”

“I’m not going to make you eat pizza out in the hall. My neighbors would see, and then everyone would want some. So, if you want to come in.” She steps back and he walks inside. He hands off the bottle of wine. 

“I know nothing about wine, but Rossi assures me that it’s drinkable.”

“It’s okay. I know nothing about wine, either.” She goes into the kitchen to get a glass, and Luke follows her, putting the six pack in the fridge after taking one out of the box. “He said red went with pizza?”

“He said everything goes with pizza if you try hard enough.” There’s a knock on the door and he goes to answer it, taking the pizzas and giving the guy a tip. “Table or coffee table?”

“Coffee table sounds good. I’ll get some plates.”

They turn the TV on as background noise while they talk about a little of everything, making each other laugh. Eventually they're full of pizza and half the beer is gone, and a good chunk of the wine bottle is empty. He brings the bottle over with his third beer and refills her glass. She smiles, feeling light and happy.

When he sits down, he’s closer, body still turned toward hers. She loses track of what they’re talking about, busy watching his mouth as it moves. She knows the wine’s gone to her head, but that doesn’t stop her from putting her glass on the coffee table and taking his beer from him, setting it beside it.

Luke tilts his head, looking at her questioningly. Exhaling shakily, she reaches out, her hand resting on his shirt, her palm against the fabric and her fingers just above the last fastened button. She rubs her fingers in a small circle, his dark chest hair soft against her fingertips. She watches her hand, and he watches her. He doesn’t move, doesn’t touch her, though his breathing is irregular. “W-would it be okay?” Her eyes dart up to his, and the brown is nearly eclipsed by his dilated pupils. “If I kiss you.”

He presses his lips together and swallows, nodding as he leans in toward her. She can feel the hot puff of his breath on her lips, and her own part in response. She’s not sure who closes the little distance between them, but suddenly they’re kissing. 

It’s tentative at first, gentle. They’re soft and brief, a press of lips and soft suction before pulling apart. She’s not sure how long that lasts before Luke’s lips capture her bottom one, sucking it between his. Penelope makes a soft sound, a small gasp, and Luke releases her. She’s about to protest when he kisses her again. This time, she parts her lips and teases her tongue against the seam of his lips. He opens his mouth eagerly, and his tongue slides against Penelope’s.

Luke groans quietly and he curves his hand around the back of Penelope’s neck, fingers tangled in her hair. Her hand fists in his shirt, button digging into her palm. The kiss deepens, then ends, then starts again, over and over until her mouth feels swollen and sensitive, the feel of his beard tingling against her skin.

Luke bows his head and rests his forehead against hers, and they breathe together, shaky and rough. Her eyes are closed, but she knows when he moves, raising her head so their mouths meet again. She pulls him closer and he shifts forward. She lies back against the arm of the couch, and Luke moves over her, one hand on the couch and the other brushing her hair back. His knee presses into the cushion next to her hip, the other angled away from her so she’s not supporting any of his weight.

She breaks the kiss, her chest rising and falling almost in rhythm with her jackrabbiting heart. “I…”

He blows out a long breath and kisses her forehead before he moves back. He settles at the opposite end of the couch and grabs his beer, draining what remains in two long, deep swallows. His head falls back and he presses his hand to the base of his throat where her hand had been. “Oh.”

“Yeah.” She doesn’t recognize her voice, too high pitched and breathless to be hers. “That was…”

“I need to go.” He sets the beer down and stands up, blinking as he sways slightly. Penelope’s eyes widen in concern until her gaze travels down his body, getting stuck on the sight of his erection straining at his jeans. 

“Oh.” She nods and stands up, feeling a little light-headed herself. “I’ll walk you. To the door.” The door is about five steps away, so it doesn’t take long to get there. She undoes the locks, hyper aware of him behind her. She opens it and steps back and suddenly his hand is on the small of her back and the other is cupping her jaw and they’re kissing again. 

It’s hot, but she shivers, and his mouth moves over hers hungrily, like he’s been waiting for this since the moment they met. She feels like she has. He moves forward and her back is to the door, and she lets out a little noise that makes Luke groan as he pulls back.

“Go. I’ve got to go.” He kisses her again, hard and quick, then moves back in for another, slow and warm and soft. “Fuck. I’ve got to go.” He pulls away so they’re not touching anymore, and he closes his eyes, taking a deep breath. “Goodnight.”

She nods. “Goodnight.”

She watches him go, every nerve in her body still zinging from his touch. She shuts the door when he’s out of sight, leaning on it heavily. It takes her a few minutes to get herself together, to catch her breath, before she can turn around and lock the door, clicking the deadbolts one by one.

Forcing her legs to move, she puts away the remaining pizza and the wine, draining her glass. It doesn’t do anything to help cool or calm the fire inside her, so she turns off the TV and the lights and goes into her bedroom. She starts to put on her pajamas, then stops and simply crawls into bed naked.

She wants Luke’s hands on her, but she’ll settle for her own.

**

The team must have several cases in a row, because the most she hears from Luke is a message or two telling her he’s thinking about her. She’s tempted to ask him if it’s in a sexy way, but then she reminds herself that she’s an adult. Mostly.

It’s strange working a nine to five job, though there are occasional nights that she works late. She’s not completely sure what to do with her free time, but she does take Derek’s advice and hangs out with the family and spends more time with Hank.

She gets home late one night after a Disney movie marathon, singing _I’ll Make a Man Out of You_ , and stops at the top of the stairs. Luke’s leaning against her apartment door, eyes closed. She walks over and leans on the door as well, facing him. 

“You don’t have a bed to sleep in? Or even the floor. I mean, what if you fall.”

He smiles slowly and blinks his eyes open. “Hey.”

She bites her lower lip, though she can still feel herself smiling. “Hi.”

“I’m interested in the ways you’re going to make a man out of me.”

“Pretty sure you’re all man already.” She pokes him in the chest. “Not that it’s not nice to see you, I mean, taking the fact that it’s you into consideration, what are you doing here? It’s late.”

“Mm.” He closes his eyes again, still smiling. “The dogs are at the neighbors, the last case was rough, and you live closer. I was wondering if maybe you’d like some company.”

“Are you going to go inside, lie down on my couch, and fall asleep?”

“Distinct possibility.”

She leans in and kisses the tip of his nose. “You’re in the way.”

“Mm,” he hums again and settles his hand on her waist, tugging her closer. He brushes her lips with his, then teases the lower one with his tongue. Her lips part instinctively, and he deepens the kiss. He eventually pulls back just far enough to look her in the eye. “Sometimes I think about how we could have been doing that all along, and I wonder what I was thinking.”

“You were thinking you were in love with Lisa.”

“Before that. Not that I wasn’t happy with Lisa, but this is good. I like this.” He leans in and kisses her again. “You like this?”

She nods and steps back. “Let me unlock the door, mister, and I’ll show you to the couch.”

“Or…” he whispers as he tilts his head back against the door.

“There is no ‘or,’ Luke Alvez. Out of the way.”

He laughs low and rough, though he finally moves. Penelope unlocks the door, hyper-conscious of him right behind her. Especially when his hands find her hips and he moves against her, nosing her hair aside so he can kiss the nape of her neck.

“No means no,” she reminds him.

“You said no ‘or.’ This is still an ‘and.’” He laughs again and pulls away, and Penelope immediately misses his warmth. She opens the door and moves inside to put more distance between them regardless. He follows her in and slips off his shoes before making a beeline for the couch.

He stretches out, and she puts her hands on her hips. “I was kidding about that.”

“I wasn’t.” He shifts and snuggles down into the cushions. 

Penelope rolls her eyes and goes to the closet, pulling out a blanket and a pillow. She drops them both on top of him. Luke ‘oof’s like there’s some weight to them, then covers himself with the blanket without looking, pulling the pillow under his head before turning on his side.

Shaking her head, she leans down and kisses his temple. “You’re ridiculous.”

“I’m already asleep,” he murmurs. “Can’t hear you disparaging me.”

She pats him on the shoulder and pulls the blanket up higher. She heads to her bedroom, stopping when he calls out her name. “Yeah?”

“I missed you. Your voice. You giving me shit.”

“I miss giving you shit, too,” she says quietly. “Now go to sleep.”

**

She wakes up to the smell of coffee and bacon, and her stomach growls in response. She gets out of bed and tugs on some sweats, going out of her bedroom to assess the situation. Luke’s in the kitchen wearing a frilly apron JJ gave her as a gag gift one year, and he’s pulling bacon out of the oven. 

“I don’t have bacon.”

“I ran out to the store.”

“It’s…” She squints at the clock. “Seven. In the morning.”

“Yeah. I borrowed your keys. Didn’t want to leave the door unlocked. Put ‘em right back where I found them.” He sets the bacon down and comes over to her, putting his thumb on her chin and pulling lightly, parting her lips before he kisses her. “Good morning.”

“What did you do?”

“What?”

“You’re making me breakfast. That makes me suspicious.” She narrows her eyes and raises one eyebrow. “When you’re nice to me, you’ve either done something or want something.”

“I don’t want to frighten you,” Luke says with a laugh, “but being nice to each other kind of goes with the dating territory if you’re doing it right.” He kisses her again. “You look great first thing in the morning.”

“I look ridiculous and like a cat’s been kneading my hair all night.”

“I like seeing you like this. Normally you’re so perfect – clothes, makeup, accessories. Like this you’re just you. No armor. I like that you trust me enough to let me see it.”

“I trusted you with my life on several occasions.”

“That was our job.” His kiss is softer this time, but her knees feel weaker from it. “This is just you and me.”

She closes her eyes, just standing there and breathing him in. “So we’re dating?”

“I was under that impression, yeah.” His voice is tinged with laughter. “Otherwise, I sure am kissing you a lot for just being friends.”

“So I have to be nice to you.”

He leans in, breath hot against her ear. “You are nice to me.”

She shivers slightly, and Luke slides his hand from her hip to her back, just underneath the hem of her t-shirt. “P-pretty sure you’re delusional.”

“Kiss me.”

She nods slightly before she does, lips parted from the start. Luke’s hand slips farther up under her shirt as the kiss deepens. She reaches back to untie the apron so she can fist her hands in the fabric of his shirt at his hips, and her back arches slightly as his free hand tangles in her hair at the nape of her neck. Luke groans as her body presses against his, and Penelope makes a low sound in response.

Walking forward, Luke backs Penelope up against a wall. She gasps into his mouth and lets go of his shirt so she can slide her hands to his back, warm skin against her palms as she pulls him closer. It’s Luke’s turn to groan, his knee pressing between her thighs. 

“Oh god,” she breathes as she tightens her legs around his. She kisses him again, their tongues sliding together. Her hands move up and down his spine, then splay over his shoulders. Luke groans again and breaks the kissing, reaching over his head to grab the collar of his shirt and the apron to pull them off. “Oh god.”

She bows her head, pressing it to his shoulder. She turns and breathes against his neck, planting soft, biting kisses on his throat. “Jesus.” His head falls forward and his unsteady breathing fans against her hair. His hands slip out from under her shirt and she whines slightly, but then he cups her breasts, thumbs rubbing her nipples through the fabric of her t-shirt. 

Her back arches more and she grinds down against his thigh. Luke bites down on her shoulder, and Penelope shivers, whimpering as he moves back. He doesn’t go far, putting just enough space between them that he can lower his head and take one of her nipples in his mouth. Her head thunks back against the wall and her nails sink into the meat of his back.

She’s glad he’s helping support her when he pulls back, his teeth scraping over her nipple as he releases it. There’s a heavy wet spot on her shirt, the air cold against it, but she stops feeling it when his mouth closes around the other nipple. She moans his name softly, repeatedly, as his other hand finds the wet fabric and teases her nipple through it. Penelope’s right on the edge and it’s the most painful thing she’s done when she pushes him back.

He looks gorgeous – lips red and swollen, face flushed, eyes glazed and dark. The hair on his chest swoops around his hard nipples. She reaches out and traces the line of his abs and his whole body jerks, then jerks again as her fingers fall down to the waistband of his jeans. “St-stop?” He pants.

“I’m. I’m so close.” She can’t catch her breath. “I’m sorry. I’m…”

“Sh. Hey.” He cups her face in his hands. “Hey. It’s okay.”

“I’m sorry.” She tries to bow her head, but he holds her steady, leaning in to kiss the tip of her nose. She smiles, even though she feels miserable. And keyed-up. “I want to. I do.”

“Yeah, I know. I could tell.” This time he kisses her forehead. “Me too. In case you couldn’t tell.”

“I noticed.” She smiles. “Oh, trust me. I noticed.”

Luke laughs. “Come on. I’ll fix some pancakes, and we’ll have breakfast. And then I’m going to go home and get the dogs and take them out for a run.” He steps away from her and bends down, picking up his shirt. She watches, admiring the curve of his ass. “What about you?”

“Saturday’s errand day now. Clean house, groceries, laundry. Boring stuff.”

“Or, you could do that stuff tomorrow and I’ll change my run to a hike and we can go out with the dogs.”

“Why are you so determined to drag me out into nature?”

“Have I ever seen you in the sun? How do I know you’re not a vampire or something?”

“My makeup would not be so flawless if I couldn’t see my reflection.”

He leans in and kisses her nose again. “I’ll pick you up in two hours.”

“I never said I’d go.”

“Two hours.”

**

After twenty minutes in bed to push herself over the edge Luke had her on, she makes a phone call to JJ to figure out what to wear before getting dressed, putting on her makeup, and putting her hair up in pigtails. She takes the bacon they didn’t eat and makes BLTs and tries to figure out where she’s supposed to put them other than in a plastic container. Luke shows up exactly two hours from when he walked out the door, with both dogs and a backpack with water and granola bars. She puts the sandwich container in the backpack along with her wallet, then slips her phone into her back pocket. 

“Okay. I guess I’m ready. I can’t believe I’m doing this.”

Luke just smiles at her. “You look adorable.”

“Yeah. That’s what I was going for.” She gives him an unimpressed look, but the compliment feels just as good as the times when he’s told her she was beautiful. “Let me at those dogs.”

The dogs are sitting obediently in the hallway until Penelope walks out the door, and then they’re on her. Roxy presses up against her legs demanding pets, and Lou jumps up and down like he’s on a pogo stick. Luke takes her keys and locks the door. Lou takes advantage of his distraction to wind himself around Penelope and Roxy, so it takes a few minutes to get them untangled. 

“C’mon, kids. Let’s go. Car ride.”

They both look at Luke like he just offered them juicy T-bone steaks, then head for the stairs. He holds the leashes tight so they can’t go too fast, though once they’re outside they make a beeline for the car, tugging him along. Penelope laughs as he has to push them back with his foot to get the door open, and they practically clamber over him to get inside. He takes off their leashes and shuts the door, and Penelope laughs again as both dogs press their noses to the window.

“I think they’d be happy if we just drove around in the car.”

“You think so.” Luke opens her door for her, grinning as if daring her to say something. She sticks her tongue out at him, and he grins wider, handing her the backpack before he shuts the door. Once he’s inside and starts the car, he looks at her. “However.” Glancing at the dogs in the rearview mirror, his grin turns sly. “Hike?”

She’s pretty sure that both dogs are going to wriggle out of their skin with happiness, and she sighs dramatically. “Fine. Nature.”

He drives them out to Caledon State Park and parks. He gets the leashes on both dogs before getting out. Penelope gets out of the car before he can think of helping her, putting the backpack on. Luke wraps the leashes once around his wrist, then holds out his other hand. Penelope raises her eyebrow but slides her hand into his, his fingers slipping between her own. 

They walk in silence for a long time, going slow and leisurely so the dogs can pause and sniff at everything. He takes her on a moderate trail to start until he decides they’re in the perfect place. He tugs a bottle of water and two bowls out of the backpack and pours the water out for the dogs, who lap it up happily.

Penelope opens another bottle and takes a drink before passing it over to Luke. He takes it and smiles, taking a drink of his own as she opens the container and passes him a sandwich. “If you’re a good boy and eat all your lunch, I might give you a cookie.”

This time his smile is wicked. “Oh, I’m a _very_ good boy.”

She swallows hard and can feel herself blush. “Well, all you’re getting is a cookie.” She takes a bite of her sandwich and watches the dogs instead, ignoring him, even when he bumps her shoulder. By the time he’s through his second sandwich, the dogs are more than ready to go. Penelope gives each of them a treat, then hands one over to Luke without turning her head. He takes it, and her hand, and kisses her knuckles. She jabs him with her elbow and he falls off the edge of the log they’re sitting on.

“Really?” He raises an eyebrow and stands up, dusting off his pants with one hand as he stuffs the cookie in his mouth with the other. He offers her his hand.

“Do I look like I trust you?” She gets to her feet, and this time Luke takes the backpack, trading her for the dogs’ leashes. They come to the end of the trail and start back on another one that’s a little easier for the way back. Luke takes her free hand, holding it loosely, though he squeezes it every once in a while. 

They’re within sight of the car and Luke’s about to say something when his phone rings. He looks down at it and sighs, letting go of her hand to answer it. “Alvez.” He’s quiet for a moment, then blows out a breath. “Yeah. On my way.”

“Something awful?”

“Wheels up in twenty, briefing on the plane. I’m not…”

“Let’s go. I’ll drop you off and take the dogs home in your car. I can get them over to the neighbor and catch an Uber back to my place.” She gives him a little shove with her free hand. “C’mon. Time’s a-wasting.”

“Not how I wanted to spend the rest of the day.” They hurry to the car and get inside, speeding on their way back. Penelope drops him off, taking his car back to his apartment and talking to the neighbors that keep the dogs whenever Luke’s gone. She doesn’t intend to look around and see what’s different since Lisa left. She does notice the housewarming gift she gave them is gone. 

She doesn’t _snoop_ exactly, but she does look in his bedroom, trying to decide if it’s anything like she imagined it would be. Not that she’s thought about Luke’s bedroom. Too much. It’s fairly bland, all of the color and life in the main rooms. The bedroom does smell like him, though – soap and shampoo and sweat. His bed’s straightened but not made, and she touches the mattress to test its softness, then sits down to see if she’s right about how pillowed it is.

Her heart is beating faster just from being there, and she knows she needs to leave. It’s strange to be so keyed up and yet feel peaceful all at the same time. She rubs her hand over the duvet, and it’s velvety smooth. “You are intruding on the man’s privacy, Penelope,” she tells herself. “You need to go home. Water his plants and go home. If he has plants.” 

She strokes the duvet again and forces herself to get up. He does have a plant in the kitchen and she waters it like she said she would. She calls for an Uber and waits just outside the house, tucking his keys in her purse after locking the door behind her. She sends a text she knows he won’t get until he lands wherever the case is taking him, just letting him know that the dogs and his car are home safely. 

The case is big enough to make national news, and it’s all everyone at the office is talking about. She tries to shut it out, but enough people know that she worked for the FBI that she gets asked question after question. She answers as best she can while being as vague as possible. She can tell people are frustrated with it, but she doesn’t know gory details, and doesn’t want to share procedures.

She wouldn’t mind if someone got in touch with her, though. That’s the hardest thing about dating Luke – because they _are_ dating, no matter how much that freaks her out. She knows he’s out there, knows he’s doing a dangerous job. And before, she could guide him or help save him if it came down to that.

It’s been nearly two weeks before her phone rings and it’s actually him. She fumbles it in her haste to unlock it, but he’s still there when she does. “Hi. Luke. Hi.”

“Hey.” He sounds absolutely exhausted, even moreso than when he’d crashed at her apartment post-case. “I’ll give you fifty bucks to come pick me up.”

“Luke.”

“Okay, five hundred.”

“You’re a terrible bargainer. Let me go get your car and I’ll be there as quick as I can.”

The Uber seems to take forever, even though it’s less than ten minutes. She heads toward the employee parking lot before realizing that she doesn’t have the credentials to get in there anymore, so she drives around to the visitors’ lot. 

She sighs in frustration and calls Luke. “I had to park in the front.”

“Right. Okay.” She hears him yawn. “Be there in a few.”

She chews her lower lip as she waits, sitting up as the security guard opens the outside door and Luke comes limping out, supported between Rossi and Matt. She gets out of the car quickly and rushes over. “What happened?”

“I’m fine.”

“He got shot in the thigh.”

“That’s not _fine_ , Luke Alvez. That’s the opposite of fine!”

“He’s fine because he’s on the very good drugs.” Rossi and Matt get Luke over to his car and into the passenger seat. “He’s on mandatory leave for two weeks, then he gets an evaluation to see if he’s fit to come back for desk duty until he’s completely healed.”

“It didn’t even hit a bone.”

“Yeah, well, you use those muscles every once in a while, tough guy.” Matt hands Luke his seatbelt to fasten and shuts the door. Matt sighs and looks at Penelope. “How long do you think until he tries walking on his own?”

Rossi laughs. “I give him a couple hours. Right before the painkillers wear off.”

“What am I supposed to do?” Penelope asks, looking from one to the other. “Did he come with instructions? The internet is good for a lot of things, but medical information that doesn’t end in cancer or death is not one of them.”

“He’ll just need a babysitter for a while to keep him from doing too much. Either that or someone needs to tie him to his chair so he can’t get up.” Rossi pats her on the shoulder. “He’s okay, Penelope.”

“I know. No. I know.” She glances back to the car where Luke’s resting his head against the window, his eyes closed, lips parted. Probably already asleep. “Just… If I’d been there. Here.” She nods toward the building.

“No,” Matt assures her. “It wouldn’t have changed anything. The intel was good. The guy just got in a lucky shot.”

“Just get him home and get him to bed. He’ll likely be out for the rest of the night.” Rossi pats her on the shoulder. “Go on. Call us if you need us.”

“You both look exhausted.”

Rossi lowers his head so he’s looking her in the eye. “Call us if you need us.”

“Yes, sir.” She nods and goes around to get in the car, double checking that Luke’s seatbelt is on and secured before putting on her own. The drive to his house seems to take about half as long as the drive to Quantico did, and she pulls up in front of his place, leaving the car idling as she gets out. She unlocks and opens the front door before going back for Luke, shaking him to get him to wake up.

It takes about ten minutes of jostling him before he manages to open his eyes.

“Hey, sleepyhead. I can’t get you inside by myself, so you’re going to have to work a little bit longer.”

“Penelope. Hey. Hi, beautiful.”

“Yeah, yeah. Save it for when you’re not on drugs, Romeo.” She tugs him to his feet and wraps his arm around her shoulder. She manages to get him into his house and onto the couch before going back out to park the car in Luke’s spot. When she gets back, she locks the door behind them, then goes over to him. Luke’s at an awkward angle, asleep again.

Sighing, Penelope wakes him up again and helps him to the bedroom. He sighs once he’s down on the bed, but he grabs her hand before she can walk away. “Don’t go.”

“You need to rest.”

“Rest with me.”

“Luke.”

His lower lip slides out into a pout and he blinks at her, eyes imploring. “Not how I thought you’d get me in bed.”

He grins and squeezes her hand. Sighing, Penelope goes around the bed and sits on the other side. Giving in to his gentle tugging, she stretches out next to him. He tugs more. “Over here.”

She scoots closer to him and he lifts his arm to wrap around her, guiding her against him. She rests her head on his chest and he hums, moving his hand up to stroke through her hair. She can’t help sighing quietly at the sensation. 

“Missed you,” he murmurs. She looks up and he’s looking down at her. He bends his head and brushes his lips across her forehead. “You miss me?”

She shrugs one shoulder. “I suppose.”

“Careful. Gonna overinflate my ego.” With his free hand, he catches her under the chin and raises it so he can press a soft kiss to her mouth. “Wouldn’t want that.”

“You’re in no shape for hanky-panky.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” He kisses her again, then settles back against his pillow. “Night.”

“Night.” 

**

She knows the moment his medication wears off. Luke whimpers and hisses in through his teeth, pressing his head hard against the pillow. 

“Hang on. There are meds. Let me get you meds.” She scrambles off the bed and goes searching for his bag. She’s pretty sure Rossi told her they were in there. Or she thought they were. She hopes they are. She digs through until she finds a bottle, then rushes to get a glass of water from the kitchen. By the time she gets back, his face is lined with pain. “Okay. Okay. Here we go. Good drugs. Rossi said these were good ones.”

She holds the glass, since he’s trembling too hard to do it. He swallows the pills and falls back on the bed. He’s sweating and shaking and she’s not sure what to do. Luke reaches for her hand and grabs it tight, squeezing hard. 

“You’re supposed to breathe, I think. Breathe through the pain. That’s what they say on TV. Though that might just be for having a baby.” She takes a few deep breaths, then lifts their joined hands up to her chest, resting them between her breasts so that Luke can feel the rise and fall. 

The breathing and the pain pills finally seem to start working, because he stops sweating and panting, though he still shakes a little. She puts her free hand on his chest and rubs slow circles over his sternum. He glances at her, then closes his eyes, and he eventually drifts off to sleep. 

Once he’s completely out, she grabs her laptop out of her bag and looks up caring for gunshot wounds, then spends time making sure she’s following the directions, starting with elevating his leg. She goes to talk to the neighbor as soon as it’s a relatively decent hour, and they agree to keep the dogs for a couple more days until Luke is steadier on his feet.

She wakes him up a half hour before he’s supposed to take another dose of medication so they’re ahead of the pain and not playing catch-up. She also makes him eat and drink something, even though he complains the entire time. Afterward, he stretches out on the couch and she settles into one of the chairs to work. She doesn’t have her own office at her new job, so it’s nice to not be around people.

After a while, she can sense Luke looking at her. When she looks up, he’s got his head propped up on his hand and he’s smiling. “What?”

“It’s nice seeing you in your element again.” He shrugs one shoulder. “I mean, minus the unicorns, rainbows, fuzzy pen tops, and assorted glitter.”

“How do you know you’re not hallucinating me?”

“Don’t. Just hoping you’re real.”

“Being sweet isn’t going to get you any extra pain meds.”

“What about pudding? Will it get me pudding?”

“Do you have pudding?”

“No, but you could get some.” He smiles hopefully. “And then give me extra for being sweet.”

“You’re only sweet because this is the first day I’ve had to deal with you.”

“So I have to take advantage of it while I can.” 

She rolls her eyes. “When I’m done with this.”

“When will that be? I really want some pudding.” He laughs at the expression on her face. “Okay, okay. I’ll behave.”

“Yeah, right.”

For the most part he does, after he asks her to get a book for him. He also digs out his work tablet, ignoring the look she gives him. She makes sure he takes his next dose of medicine, then leaves, picking up groceries besides pudding as well. When she comes back he’s asleep again, so she puts things away as quietly as she can. 

Once she’s done, she perches on the edge of the couch, resting the back of her hand against his forehead. He’s not feverish, thankfully, but his skin is slightly flushed. 

“Getting shot is not okay, you know. It’s actually pretty high on the list of things not to do. I need you to be careful, because it was hard when we were just coworkers, but now it’s even harder. Because I like you. I mean, I liked you before, but this is different. So you have to be even more careful, because I’m not good at handling things like this.” She traces his eyebrow and then down to his cheekbone. “I’m not good at any of this. I think we both know that.”

He exhales a breath, but doesn’t wake up. She brushes her fingertips over his lower lip, and his lips part slightly. His breath is warm against her fingers, and she just lets it fan over them for a moment before she gets up. She’s at a loss for what to do, so she goes back to work, trying to focus on that instead of letting her gaze drift over to Luke.

She’s just finishing up a project when he wakes up, struggling to sit. She gets up to help him, propping his leg up on top of a pillow on the coffee table. “You’ve still got an hour before your next dose.”

“I’m okay for now.”

“You want some water? And pudding?”

“In a minute.” He takes her hand and tugs her down onto the couch next to him, leaning against her shoulder. “Thanks for being here.”

“I couldn’t leave you alone. You’d do something stupid like try to take the dogs for a walk.” She shakes her head as he opens his mouth. “And before you freak out, the neighbors are taking care of them until you’re a little more on your feet.”

“I hate taking advantage. And pretty soon the dogs are going to think they’re theirs instead of mine.”

“Well, maybe in the future I can take care of them for you. Now that we’re not both working the same schedule.”

“Mm. I don’t think they’d do so well in your apartment.” He threads his fingers with hers and lifts their hands, kissing the back of hers. “You’d have to stay here.”

“Yeah.”

“Sleep in my bed.” 

Her breath catches, even though she’d slept beside him last night. Something about the low, hot tone of his voice lights something inside her. “Yeah.”

“I’d like that.” He murmurs the words as he kisses her fingertips, one after the other. “I like the thought of you in my bed.”

“O-oh. Well. Um. That’ll probably. Happen. Probably.” She swallows hard. It’s not that she’s naïve. She knows it’s inevitable. She knows she _wants_ it. It’s just been a while, and even without that, she hasn’t been really invested in any of the guys she’s dated. Being in a relationship with anyone outside of the FBI had been a recipe for disaster and hurt feelings. 

He changes his hold on her hand and presses a kiss to her palm and then the inside of her wrist.

Penelope shivers. “Y-you’re in no shape for getting frisky, mister.”

He kisses the soft skin of her inner forearm. “Could take care of you.” 

“Pretty sure that still counts as getting frisky.” She shivers as goosebumps rise on her skin, as he kisses the inside of her elbow. “L-luke.”

He looks up at her with hooded, hot eyes. Penelope shivers again as he reaches up and slips a hand over the nape of her neck and pulls her close. She makes a soft noise into the kiss, parting her lips as his tongue brushes over them. He moans quietly into her mouth, and his fingers tighten slightly, pulling her closer. She goes easily, tilting her head with the pressure so he can deepen the kiss.

It’s slow and thorough, tongues sliding together. Luke hums and teases her soft palate with the tip of his tongue, and she shivers. He hums again, and Penelope groans as his free hand settles on her knee and slides up her thigh to the hem of her skirt.

She puts her hands against his shoulders and pushes him back. They’re both breathing hard, and she imagines she looks as wrecked as he does. His mouth is red and wet, his eyes barely open, lashes fanned against his cheeks. 

“We can’t,” she whispers, swaying forward even as she says it, catching him in another kiss. Luke pulls her closer and shifts, then gasps, falling back with a sharp hiss. Both hands go to his thigh as he groans in pain, head thumping back against the couch.

“Oh, fu – ” he breaks off with a wince.

“I’m not going to say I told you so, but I told you so.” 

He laughs roughly and opens one eye to look at her. “I think you might be enjoying this.”

She shakes her head, frowning slightly. “No.”

“I know.” He has his eyes closed in pain, and he rubs his hands on the couch cushions, looking for all the world like he wants to rub them on his thighs. “I know.”

“I’m going to get you that pudding.”

“Yeah,” he sighs. “Pudding would be nice.”

**

She spends the next two days and nights with him, keeping distance between them for the most part, though he does convince her to sit on the couch from time to time and let him lean on her. He plays with her hand, teasing light fingertips over it, causing her to shiver until she eventually slaps his hand away.

She brings the dogs home and they’re well-behaved enough to not jump on Luke, though he’s not necessarily well-behaved enough not to encourage them to play. She goes to work, but the neighbors agree to watch the dogs and check on Luke – and she’s pretty sure he needs more supervision than Roxy and Lou do.

Will volunteers to take Luke to the doctor, and when Penelope gets back to his house he’s hobbling around on crutches, careful not to put too much weight on his leg. She walks into the kitchen and sets down the groceries she’d stopped and gotten, brushing her hand down his back. “Hey. You’re vertical.”

“I’m never sitting or lying down again.”

“That so?”

“Absolutely.” She starts putting the groceries away; then, after a couple of minutes of silence, she looks back over her shoulder. Luke’s watching her with a smile on his face.

“What?”

“Nothing.” She arches an eyebrow and waits. Finally he laughs. “Okay, okay. I just never picture you as domestic, but you’ve been so great through all of this. I know it threw off your routine.”

She shrugs and shuts the refrigerator, folding the reusable grocery bags and setting them aside. “You needed help. That’s what I do.”

He maneuvers his way over to her, stopping just in front of her. She leans back against the counter as he leans in, pushing her hair back and nuzzling her neck. Her lips part and she licks them, swallowing hard afterward. He kisses the hollow behind her ear, then lower, making his way down her neck to her shoulder. 

“L-luke. C’mon.”

“Just a little kissing.” He starts back up, more kisses on her throat, his tongue brushing the skin with each one. “God, I want to kiss you.” He bites her earlobe, his breath hot in her ear. “Here.” 

She feels like she’s melting from the heat of him, the heat between them. She swallows hard again, tilting her head to give him better access.

One of his hands comes off his crutch and he brushes the back of his fingertips over her nipple. “Here.”

She sucks in a breath that shivers out of her, her already erect nipple hardening further.

His hand trails down further, fingertips drawing a circle around her navel. “Here.” She reaches down to grab his hand, but he moves it, barely touching as it slips down to her thighs, pressing against the material between them. “Here.”

She can’t seem to exhale the breath in her lungs, finally sharing it with him when she turns her head and kisses him. Luke groans into her mouth, one crutch crashing to the floor as his hand settles on her hip. She breaks the kiss and puts her hand on his shoulder, putting some distance between them. “Luke. Luke. We have to stop.”

He takes a deep breath and exhales slowly through his nose. She steps out from between him and the counter, picking up his crutch and handing it to him. His grip is tight, his knuckles white as he wraps his hand around the handle. His Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows and he closes his eyes tightly. She does her best to keep her eyes on his face, but she can’t help her gaze dropping down. He’s only wearing sweats, and it’s easy to see he’s as aroused as she is. 

“I should probably go home.”

“No.” He shakes his head. “No. C’mon. You don’t have to do that. I’ll behave.”

She reaches out and brushes his jaw with her fingertips. “It’s not you I’m worried about, necessarily.” 

He turns his head and kisses her fingertips. “Stay for a while at least? Through dinner? I promise to be on my best behavior. Well, as much as I can.”

She shakes her head and sighs. “Fine. But just because you’re cute.”

“Awww.” Luke grins wide. “You think I’m cute.”

Penelope rolls her eyes and is about to tell him that he knows exactly how cute he is when his phone rings. They’re both well aware of what it means, so Penelope goes and grabs it for him. 

“Alvez.” He’s quiet for a few minutes, his eyes closed as he nods. “Yeah, I’ve got a ride. I’ll be there by the time you guys are taking off.” He hangs up and gives her a weak smile. “Raincheck on dinner?”

“Yeah.” 

“And can I ask you for a ride? I’ll crash there during the case and call you or get a ride home when it’s done?”

“Are you sure? I could get you there and back.”

“You know the hours as well as I do.” He leans in and rests his forehead against hers for a moment. “Just keep an eye on the dogs?” He moves his head, nuzzling against her temple. “Can stay here. Want to come home and have my sheets smell like you.”

She whimpers softly, turning and tilting her head so she can kiss him. “We need to go.”

“Yeah.” He exhales slowly and pulls away, grabbing his messenger bag off the couch. He holds her hand during the ride over, squeezing it as she pulls up to the building. “I’ll see you.”

“Be safe.” 

He laughs. “I’m in FBI headquarters. Think I’ll be okay.”

“Hey.” She tightens her grip before he can let go. “Be safe.”

“I will.” He leans over and kisses her quickly. “Promise.”

One case leads into another leads into another. Luke’s still on light duty, doing his PT at Quantico, and according to his texts, he’s healing fine. Penelope had a huge project come up at work, so the neighbors are watching the dogs again, and as much as she hates to admit it, it feels strange to sleep in her own bed. 

She’s eating ice cream and watching a sappy eighties rom-com when she gets a call from Luke, and it’s one she’s known was coming, but one she’s been dreading, too. His voice is low and quiet, and she wonders if he’s already in the air.

“Let me guess, this isn’t a call for me to come and pick you up.” It’s not really a question, and his soft, frustrated huff of breath lets her know she’s right. “You’re okay to be in the field?”

“Yeah. Got clearance yesterday. This one’s ugly. Not sure how long I’ll be gone. I’m hoping we can wrap it up quick, but you know how that goes.”

“Yeah. Well. What I said before still goes. Be safe. I’m not going to be happy if you get yourself shot again. In fact, tell everyone that getting shot is not allowed.”

“I’ll pass the message along.”

“Good. You’d better.” She sighs softly. “I really hate that I miss you.”

“You do, huh?”

“Yeah. Means I like you too much.”

He hums softly. “How much is too much?”

“I’ll show you when you get home.”

He exhales roughly. “That’s just cruel.”

“That’s motivation.” 

**

She starts awake and lies still in bed, waiting for the noise that woke her to come again. She realizes she’s holding her breath as she lets it out when another knock comes on the door. She pushes her sleep mask up and grabs her robe and glasses, making her way in the dark.

The light in the hallway is bright even through the peephole, though it’s blocked by a familiar shadow. She undoes the locks quickly and opens the door. Luke’s smile is slow and warm. She smiles back, unable to stop herself. “Hey. You’re home.”

He nods and reaches out, tracing her lower lip with his thumb, pulling down just enough to part her lips. He stares at her mouth and licks his lips. “Can I kiss you?”

“Please?” She asks, voice barely above a whisper.

Luke backs her into the apartment, framing her face with his hands. He kisses her softly, lightly, and it’s nowhere near enough. She whines quietly when he lets her go, so he backs her up again until she’s up against the door. He turns the locks without looking as he licks the seam of her lips and slides his tongue past them. 

She arches against him and Luke growls low in his throat. “Where’s the bedroom?”

“Back… Over…” She kisses him this time, hard and deep. 

When he pulls away, his pupils are dilated, eyes black save for the rim of golden brown. “Show me.”

She licks her lips and nods, taking his hand and heading toward her bedroom. He stops just inside the door and Penelope turns around, unsure of why he hasn’t come in. He’s looking her over like he wants to eat her alive. She shivers and takes a step backward. He licks his lips and lets his gaze travel up her body slowly until he meets her eyes. He waits and Penelope nods. “C-come inside.”

That’s apparently all the invitation he needs. Just a few steps and he’s pressed against her, kissing her again. She feels like she can’t get close enough, needing more, her hands catching in his shirt and tugging it free from his jeans. Luke pulls back just enough to take it off, and she catches her breath.

His body is gorgeous. Warm brown skin, muscles defined and lean. She swallows hard and her hand touches his shoulder; then she trails her fingertips down his arm. Luke shivers hard, like she’s done far more. She moves her fingers from his wrist and places them on his collar bone, moving along it over to his sternum. His skin is pebbled with goosebumps and his breath shudders out of him as she trails her fingers down, and then through the dark hair on his chest to his nipple.

“Penelope,” he grits out.

She doesn’t respond, just holds his gaze for a long moment before leaning forward and licking his other nipple. His head falls back and he grabs her hips, holding her close. She licks it again as she uses her finger on the other one. Luke’s shaking and breathing hard, his chest rising and falling rapidly beneath her fingers and tongue.

His hand tangles in her hair, tugging lightly. She looks up at him, and he’s watching her intently. She flicks her tongue out again, and he groans roughly as he pulls her up to kiss him. It’s hard and desperate and feverish, kiss after kiss, sucking on each other’s tongues, panting into each other’s mouths.

Luke tightens his grip on Penelope’s hair, and she gasps from the pull as well as the warmth of his fingers as they slip underneath her t-shirt. She wraps her arms around him, hands roaming over the broad expanse of his back. 

He walks forward, guiding her back until she feels the mattress against her legs. She moans softly as he leans forward to kiss her again, deeper, easing her down onto the bed. She sits on the edge of the bed and blinks up at Luke. He grabs the hem of her shirt with both hands and pulls it up and off of her. Her hair cascades down onto her back and causes her to shiver, but not as much as Luke sinking to his knees in front of her does.

He frames her face with his hands as he kisses her, then they slide down slowly, palms hot against her chest before he curves them under each breast, lifting them up as he bends forward and pulls one of her nipples into his mouth. He holds it with his teeth as he sucks and licks at it, and Penelope grabs his shoulders, nails sinking into them.

He moans against her skin, tightening the suction. Penelope sucks in a shaky breath as Luke moves to the other breast, teasing that nipple as well. He alternates them, using his mouth and his fingers to keep her on edge. She hasn't stopped shivering by the time he pulls back, mouth red and wet. He looks up at her, his hands still cupping her breasts, his thumbs occasionally sweeping over her nipples. 

They stare at each other for a long moment, but her eyes drift shut as he releases her breasts, hands skimming down her sides to the purple narwhal pajama shorts she’s wearing. He tugs at the waistband, and Penelope puts her hands behind her, leaning back so she can raise her hips. Luke takes them off of her, easing her legs from them and her underwear one at a time.

She should be cold in the chilly room, but her skin feels like it’s on fire, burning up with Luke’s touch. He puts his hands just above her knees and her eyes snap open. She watches as he eases them apart, as he looks at her.

She’s used to being embarrassed like this, open and vulnerable, but Luke is looking at her so reverently. He kisses the side of her knee, then works his way up her thighs kissing one, then the other until he’s at the apex of them. He urges her legs farther apart as he leans in, his nose pressed against the dark blond hair there, his breath hot against her damp skin. 

“L-luke. I – ” 

His tongue flicks out, parting her labia, not quite touching her clit. She inhales sharply which he takes as invitation, his tongue slipping deeper. 

“Oh god, oh god, oh – ” She gasps roughly, all her words running together. Luke’s hands slip between her legs and he uses his thumbs to open her up, to press closer, to lick deeper. She leans back on her hands, arching her body. She slides to the very edge of the mattress and tilts her pelvis, granting Luke more room, more access.

She can’t breathe, her lungs burning. Luke grabs one of her legs and guides it up over his shoulder, and she lets out a small sob as his stubble brushes sensitive skin. His hands slide under her and pull her even closer to him, his tongue everywhere against her, inside her. 

She fists her hands into her comforter as Luke’s tongue finally flicks to her clit.. She feels like she levitates off the bed, and she can’t help reaching down and grabbing his thick hair. Luke moans against her and presses impossibly closer. Her heel digs into his shoulder blade as everything crystalizes, peaks, and she comes, hot against his tongue. Luke doesn’t stop licking, lapping up her orgasm, deep moans and stubble against her skin.

Eventually it’s too much, and she whimpers, overwhelmed. Luke pulls back, breathing hard, mouth pink, wet, and shiny. Penelope tugs at his hair, and he moves up and over her, kissing her hard. He tastes like her, beard scraping her soft skin, the smell and feel of her on and in both their mouths. 

Her hands find his hips and slide around to his fly, undoing it with trembling fingers. Luke groans as she slips a hand inside, curving her palm around the hard length of his erection. He holds himself up with one hand, reaching back to push his jeans off. They fall down to his thighs as he slides a finger under the waistband of his boxer briefs. She releases him enough to help, and she’s not sure who makes the loudest noise when she eases the fabric over his erection.

She doesn’t hesitate to wrap her hand around it while Luke struggles out of his shoes and socks and jeans and boxer briefs. He gasps roughly as she moves her hand, feeling the smooth, soft skin as she strokes him. The arm supporting him trembles as he finally kicks free of his clothes and braces himself over her. 

“We’re naked,” Penelope breathes. “Oh god.”

Luke kisses her again, slowly this time, tender and fragile. He pulls back, his dark eyes focused on hers. His pupils are huge, black with just a ring of brown and hints of green. He exhales shakily. “I want… I need to be inside you. T-tell me you…” 

“Yeah. Yeah. I…” She shakes her head and puts her hands against his chest, easing him backward. She can’t help but rubbing her thumbs over his nipples, and Luke’s whole body jerks. He manages to stand, and Penelope stills, staring. He’s dark skin and black hair, his cock curved up toward his stomach and hard, flushed. She licks her lips and Luke lets out a rough noise. She nods and sits up, reaching for her nightstand drawer. “They’re new. I mean. Good. Since you. For you.”

Luke nods and opens the package, tearing one free from the strip. He rubs the back of one of his hands over his mouth then uses it to tear the package open. Penelope can’t help staring as he works it on. “Scoot back?” His voice is deeper than normal, and she shivers as she does. He kneels on the bed between her spread legs, then crawls up her body. 

She lifts her legs, resting her heels on the bed as Luke reaches down and guides himself inside her. Penelope’s mouth opens, words gone, any noise silenced. He sheaths himself inside her and stills. They stare at each other for an endless moment, the culmination of something that feels like a lifetime in the making. Luke licks his lips, closes his eyes, and pulls back until just the head of his cock is inside her. He stills again and she whines, the noise breaking as he pushes back in.

He stills again, and she wraps her legs over his calves, arching upward. That seems to break his control and he starts moving in earnest, hips rocking smoothly for too long before he drops his head and kisses her, his thrusts picking up, deeper and harder. Penelope’s whole body is taut, feeling like a livewire. Her hands move over his back, his chest. She catches his nipples between her fingers and Luke jerks, burying himself inside her. “Je-Jesus.”

She does it again to see if he’ll respond again, and he leans in and bites her lower lip, sucking on it and losing control. He curls his arms under her back, arching her body slightly as he fucks into her, making helpless noises as he releases her lip and kisses her as hard as his body meets hers. 

She shudders, her orgasm taking her by surprise with its intensity. She clenches around Luke as he thrusts in, and he moans roughly, thrusting desperately, quickly as she stays tight around him until his whole body shakes and he gasps, thrusting in deep. He buries his face against her neck, his hips rocking again until his breath shakes out of him.

They both lie there, breathing heavily. Their bodies are slick with sweat where they’re pressed against each other. After a few moments, Luke inhales deeply, then lets out a slow, heavy breath. He reaches between them and grasps the condom as he pulls out of her. Penelope winces slightly, and he leans over and kisses her lightly. 

“Right back.”

She nods and stares up at the ceiling, not sure she’s ready to move. She’s still in the same place when Luke comes back into the room. He stops and looks at her. Penelope lifts her head slightly. “What?”

“Wish I were nineteen so I could do that with you again.”

“Ha. I bet you were an ass at nineteen.”

Luke laughs as well. “You are not wrong.” He walks over and holds out his hand. She takes it and tugs him back onto the bed.He pulls her close so their bodies are pressed together again. “Doesn’t change the fact though.”

“You wouldn’t have been interested in me at nineteen. You were probably still dating the head cheerleader, hanging out with your _buds_ , pretending you hated college while secretly staying up late and doing math.”

“And you were holed up in the computer lab hacking into NASA or something.”

“At nineteen? The FBI, baby.”

He kisses her, slow and deep. Penelope wraps her arms over his shoulders so she can hold him there. When Luke breaks the kiss, he rests his forehead against hers. “Can I stay?”

“Yeah.” She nods, just barely. “As long as you want.”


End file.
